


It Just Happens

by tsunderegirl99



Category: Kagerou Project
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-24
Updated: 2014-06-24
Packaged: 2018-02-06 00:36:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1837942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsunderegirl99/pseuds/tsunderegirl99
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because Ene is always impatient and Shintaro is the type that sways easily.</p><p>Warning: May contain spoilers from the light novels.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Just Happens

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own KagePro or any of its characters.
> 
> A/N: Based on the theory that Ene remembers everything that happens in every loop. May be proved wrong later.
> 
> Enjoy!

Takane snorts in disbelief when she hears Ayano describe the kind of person that Shintaro Kisaragi needs.

'"Someone even more selfish," she says.

Unconsciously, Takane wonders why it sounds so much like herself.

And years later, she finds out just how right Ayano is.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"M-Master, wait!" The voice pleads desperately, but he doesn't even hear it.

"It's so dark," he murmurs, slamming his head on the table.

"Master, let's not-"

"You don't get it. Nobody does."

"But-"

"It's too dark." These are his last words, and as soon as they leave his mouth, he slams his head again, forcefully, this time against the keyboard.

The scream is cut short as the screen goes black.

And so does his world.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 

"Ah, at last, we are back."

She watches from the other side of the screen as her master plops himself down onto the bed. He buries his face into the bedsheet and so, the groan that comes out of his mouth is muffled. She shakes her head at his antics, wishing that he were at least a bit more enthusiastic about this whole affair.

"Master," she shouts, voice high-pitched. "You must not say things like 'at last'!"

"Yeah, yeah. After all, today was all sunshine and rainbow, wasn't it?" he says, rolling over to his side, facing her. She frowns this time. Ok, maybe today wasn't all great, but still. They had a few laughs to get over the problems.

Kido had decided that today's mission was to do some research in the library. So they had gone to the public library, wanting to see if there were any books that could helpful in getting some more information. And had ended up staying till late, even after the library had closed down, Kido using her powers to render them invisible. They had searched and searched and searched and searched...

In short, they had been able to find anything of importance.

What they hadn't thought of, however, was of the fact that the library would be locked. And so they had ended up having escaping through an open window.

The whole thing had probably extinguished the little stored energy her master's body has.

She giggles inwardly at the thought.

"But, Master! Today was fun too! Kido-san and Kano were so hilarious. Poor Kano-san is always hit by her. And lil'sis also-" She stops in the middle of droning, realising that her master has tuned her out long a ago. She sighs when she sees him busy on his phone. It looks if he is currently in the middle of typing a text, his fingers talling the screen furiously.

"Master, it's rude to not listen when someone is talking!" she shouts, a look of mock offence on her face.

"Shut up and find Momo to annoy," he says, not even bothering to spare her a glance.

She ignores him.

But, anyway, a text, huh? Even though her master has always had that cell, he has never used it for it's basic purpose. He either used to play games or listen to songs. Since back then he never used to leave the house, there was no need for anyone to contact him. But, of course, things were a lot different now. Ever since the Mekakushi Dan had become a part of their lives, he has improved a lot. 

His cells buzzes an awful lot too.

He still fell back into his old ways some times, but eventually he would get out. But, a text means that he is actually comminicating with someone, right? That he is talking to an actual, breathing human being.

Maybe there's still hope left for Kisaragi Shintaro, after all.

She knows it's probably one of the Dan members.

Still, she simply can't resist teasing him.

"Master, is that a girl?" she asks playfully, grinning from ear to ear. "I am jealous!"

"Ah, Ene! It's Kido. She's talking to me from Kano's cell," he replies, voice excited. His eyes dart back and forth from the cell to her face, frantic. "Ah, can you believe it?! A girl, a real girl is texting me." 

"Uh, what can I say? I am glad Master is intrested in something other than those 2-D girls in your private folder." She laughs out loud this time, making sure that it sounds mocking.

"Hey! Never speak of that!" he says, panicked, lookking scared for his life. Her smart retort is stopped when his phone buzzes to signal a reply. She watches as he humms thoughtfully, bending his head. "Though, it is Kido, so it may not be something worth getting excited over."

"Ah, I wonder what how she would react if she hears what you just said."

"Don't you dare, Ene!"

"Way ahead of you! Already recorded it!"

This leads to him begging her again and she tortures him some more. In the middle of all the bickering, she finds herself thinking that fighting like this over meaningless topics is refreshing. Her master is diffrent now. She is different now.

They are better now.

"Anyways, I am going down to eat dinner," he mutters, getting up, having given up on their argument. This is another thing her master has started doing. He never used to eat dinner with his family before. But now, he goes downstairs each night.

"Ok!"

Briefly, she remembers something from long ago. Sitting at a table with an old woman who seems so familiar, in a sad way. Trying to smile, to pretend, after a frustrating day.

Stop, she orders herself. Don't do that.

That will do her no good.

"And," she looks at Shintaro when she hears him speak, wonderings what it is. He stands at the door, hands in his pockets, looking mildly reluctant. "Don't tell Kido about that comment, ok? It's not just her. 2-D girls are much better, anyway." He huffs and looks away.

She grins when a thought enters her mind.

"Oh, really?" she asks, in a suggestive tone, looking at him innocently.

It takes him a minute to understand what she is implying and she knows he gets it when his ears turn red moments after. "It-it's not, I didn't mean you, d-don't confuse me!" he shouts, face red and opens the door. She stares at him some morr and he gapes back at her. Then he leaves.

She waits until the door is shut, before finally letting that smile break out on her face.

These kind of stupid days, she hopes they never come to an end. Maybe, just maybe, this time will different. Maybe there won't be a next time. Maybe this is the final loop.

She squeezes her own hand, hoping it won't shatter.

This time, she isn't sure if she can take it.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Master, how about we go out today?"

"....Don't feel like it."

"Master! This type of lifestyle is pathetic!"

"...Ah! Don't say that! I just can't live in the real world! The virtual world is the one for me!"

".....That just proved my point."

"...This is getting annoying, go away."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 

This whole thing has made her realise, long ago, how much she hates endings.

The first ending in her life was long ago, back in her school days. Being diagnosed with a disease that cuta you from everyone else can be problematic, and hence, her carefree days had come to an abrupt end. It had hurt, knowing she couldn't do the normal things like the others. But she was strong, and so she had been able to pretend. 

Haruka was a beginning. Being with him was fun and she had felt normal for the first time. He was used like her, also having forcefully cut off from normal life. And yet, he had smiled honestly, unlike her, who always pretended. Now that she thinks about it, that's why she had fallen for him in the first place. That silly and stupid expression on his face. 

It had meant something to a dishonest girl like herself.

That too, had come to an end. But this time, she had no one to blame but herself.

She can't help but think that, that time, if she had just turned to look at the boy beside her, he might not have ended up like he was today.

Regret is a painful feeling.

And then, before she knew it, she had been become who she was know. Back then, she muses, she would gladly accept a strong body. A unfazed mind. She would have givem up anything forfor it.

But if Haruka was the price she had to pay to gain it, she didn't want it.

And if this meddlesome immortality was the answer to her wish, she wanted to throw it away.

One year, she reminisces, she had wandered all over the virtual world. She had felt so helpless, so alone. And then, she had ended up in the last place she would ever think of calling 'home'.

The room of a eighteen year old boy who had done nothing but blame himself over the past one year.

Though intially annoyed, she had ended up calling him something that was a result of losing a bet all those years back.

And she had realised, unlike Haruka, she could be really honest with Shintaro.

He had wanted to delete her, at first. He had done it a few times. But eventually, she would come back again. And before they had realised it, somewhere along the way, they had both gotten used to it.

Both of them are stubborn are stubborn, she knows. They would argue and hurt each other in the future.

 

But, she believes that they will forgive each other eventually.

The first time the loop had ended, she hadn't been able to cope with it. It had hurt. But this endless cycle had gradually changed her.

She wonders how Shintaro would react if he ever retains his memories.

It's tough being the only one who remembers all that has happened. And to be scared of what could happen again.

She knows that with every time this happens, she comes a little closer to Shintaro. And then she gets even more hurt when it ends.

But this, she has a feeling, will be a final time.

It gives her a good feeling when she sees his carefree expression these days, compared to what his face would look like when he was alone in his room.

She hopes this lasts forever.

... ... .... ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Sometimes, she wonders if she should just tell him everything

Maybe then, it would be a lot easier. But, she knows it cannot be that easy.

A groan from her master interrupts her thought line. She glances at his sleeping form on the bed. The room is dark, but the light from the computer screen illuminates his face. He turns around, visibly distressed.

On nights like this, when he works on his computer till late, he just gets too lazy and forgets to shut it down. Or maybe, he just feels lonely and needs someone there with him. It's not like his stubborn mind will ever admit. Maybe a bit different, but he is still that annoying first-year from back then, after all.

She knows who he is dreaming about. That girl with the beautiful smile which wasn't able to save. He's still bothered by it, she can see.

It's times like these.during which she hates her body. Confined in the virtual world.

She can't even reach over and wake him up.

So she does what she can. And blares the speakers.

He'll scold her for this much later.

But he'll be secretly grateful.

And that's enough for her.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"....Master."

".....No."

"But..."

"Why do care anyway? I'll be the one doing all the work. You can't even come out of my phone."

"....How exactly like master. Tactless. You'll never get a girlfriend."

"Huh?! What was it that I said?!"

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 

Learning that Kido knows how to cook, and that she does it very well, comes as a shock.

It happens on the days when only Ene herself, Kido, Mary, Konoha and Shintaro are present at the base. On days like these, nothing happens at all, so Kido decides to cook them some noodles. When Ene expresses her surprise, it turns out that everyone else is already aware of this surprising fact.

Her master, having gotten annoyed, is ignoring his cellphone altogether, it lying bedside him on the sofa. He is trying to get Konoha converse with him, watching t.v. at the same time. Konoha replies with his usual clueless expression in that voice which is devoid of any emotion.

"I am hungry," he says, for what seems to he the umpteenth time.

She almost laughs at how similar this is to Haruka. Well, he is Haruka, is he not? Even he doesn't remember. Shintaro sighs, standing up.

"Master!" she shouts.

"Shut up, Ene," he replies, giving her an annoyed look.

"But, master, I just want to talk to Konoha!"

Shintaro picks up the cell, looking at her in suspicion. "Why?" he asks.

"Just do it, master!" she answers stubbornly.

He mutters something under his breath, but hands his phone over to Konoha anyway. Then, he makes his way to the kitchen, probably to ask Kido how much time more it is gonna take for the food to be ready.

Konoha looks at her, blank, tilting his head. She looks back at him, relishing this moment. To be close with Haruka again is a gift. She can't let this go waste.

"Ene," Konoha says. "How did you end up in there?" He seems to have forgotten about the fact that it was her who asked for him, in the first place and throws in a question of his own. She's surprised he's ever thought abou this.

Well, she wants to say, it all started when I ran to confess my love for you.

But she can't.

It's never that easy. If it was, it wouldn't be called life.

"It's a long story." Is what she says intead, trying to look sheepish. He stares at her for one second before replying.

"Will it get boring?" he asks.

She considers it for a moment. "....Not really, but some other time."

"Ene doesn't want to tell me," he says, looking thoughtful.

Bu he doesn't look as if he's bothered by it, and so she doesn't reply.

A comfortable silence falls into place and she starts getting lost in thought again. She wonders how Konoha would react if she ever told him that once upon a time, he used to be a silly careless boy called Haruka, with a monstrous appetite and that unknowingly, he had caused a dishonest girl called Takane Enomoto to fall in love with him.

Knowing him, he would probably just tilt his head and say, "Is that so?"

She sighs.

She turns to look at Konoha and finds him staring back at her. For a crazy moment, she wonders if he's actually thinking.

Just when she's sure that Konoha is not going to say a word, he breaks the quiet. With, if she may add, a rather shocking sentence.

"If I had one of those," he starts, pointing at what she assumes is the cellphone, head tilted again. "..would Ene stay there with me?"

This snaps something, something inside her body.

She has to bite her to keep that scream, yell or whatever it is that threatens to escape out of it, in.

"Why would you want to do that?" she asks, trying to keep her voice neutral.

"Because-"

"She's just gonna cause you trouble you know," comes the voice beside them. They both turn around to look at Shintaro, who is sitting there beside Konoha, not being noticed by anyone. Heh, maybe he really has low presence after all.

However, this time, she finds that she doesn't have the will to tease him.

"Because?" She turns to Konoha again, because she just, she just has to know.

Beside them Shintaro goes silent too, but she isn't paying attention. 

"Because, Ene is really nice," he says, tone blunt.

She almost bursts into tears right then. But she can't cry. Literally.

So she just smiles back.

Konoha seems to have lost interest and drops the phone back onto the couch, feet padding as he makes his way to the kitchen.

She stares after him, wondering what that uneasy feeling in her chest is.

She never notices the small frown on her master's face.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Master, was there someone you found really annoying, back in your school days?"

"....What's with that question?"

"....Just curious about my master's non-existent social life."

".....Well, I suppose there was one girl- Hey! Don't insult me right in my face!"

"....What was she like?"

"Now you are ignoring me?! Well, I suppose you both are kind of similiar. Both selfish and self-centred."

"......"

"Hey, wait, don't do that, don't delete that!"

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"You seem to be rather fond of Konoha." This is what Shintaro says the moment the door to his room closes behind him. His tone is fairly curious, but it seems to her as if there is more to his question than what he is letting on. She looks up at him from his cell, surprised.

"Is that so?" she asks, feigning innocence.

He looks as if he isn't expecting such an answer. "Well, yeah."

He places his cell onto his bed and proceeds to sit on it himself. She notices that he won't meet her eyes and looks rather bothered by something.

Well, he is having nightmares quite frequently. She wonders if his guilt over Ayano's death is acting up again. They have come this far. She doesn't want him to sink back again. She wonders why he asked her about Konoha, though. It's not like he knows abput the two of them.

"Is it because of the fact that you two are kind of similiar?" he asks, apparently not ready to drop the topic yet. She looks at him curiously, because it's just not like her master to be persistent about things. Especially those that concern Ene herself.

Still, she answers. "Uh, maybe."

She cannot tell him that it's deeper than that. That Konoha is a boy she was in love a long time ago. That it isn't even his real name. That they are similiar, but not in the way he thinks it is.

Her string of thought breaks when she realises that her master has not uttered a single word in response. He is looking to the side, a tense expression on his face. An all too familiar worried feeling crawls into her heart. No, she can't let this happen again. She has to pull him back again.

She can't let him ruin his own self.

But still, she thinks, he must be really bothered to have this kind of expression.

She feels that uneasy feeling stir again. It all just so disturbingly familiar.

She turns to him, to break the silence. 

And then realises she has nothing to say.

Say something, she commands herself.

"Master, let's go out tomorrow." The words slip out before she can stop them and all she can do is listen to her own voice speaking. She closes her eyes, awaiting the rejection. She knows that the words sound wrong and that her master may misunderstand, but something stops her from clearing it up.

"Why?" She hears him ask, and he sounds surprised. Here it comes, she thinks. The lecture about energy-conservation. After all, he would rather not waste his precious stamina on her.

"F-Forget what I-"

"Alright." Comes the quiet reply.

"Huh?" she asks, wondering if she's heard him wrong. Her eyes widen and she can't help but wonder why he ever agreed in the first place.

And why is his face so close?

In the middle of her monologue, Shintaro seems to have raised the phone to his face. She knows her shyness is irrational. After all, it's not like they can touch. And even if they could, it's not like Shintaro or even Ene herself would-

No, she chides herself. We wouldn't.

But, if the screen wasn't there between them at this moment, they would be...

"You agree?"

"Let's go," he repeats himself again, dropping the phone down beside him.

"O-Ok." She wonders why she feels so nervous when she is the one who asked him in the first place. 

But, unconsciously, she is kind of looking forward to a day together with him.

It may not be that bad after all.

"Just try to keep your annoying attitude in check."

Or maybe she has spoken too soon.

As they start to fight again, the thing about Konoha is forgotten in Ene's mind.

But, little does she know that Shintaro doesn't forget it.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 

When she finds herself alone in the room later, she feels restless.

Overwhelmingly restless.

She remembers Konoha's words.

"...would Ene stay with me?"

In whatever form he was, he was always so cruelly honest.

Something feels wrong about that question, that expression on his face. Somethings feels off about the feelings that stir in heart when she thinks about it and that thing Shintaro said to her

"You seem to be rather fond of Konoha...."

Stop pretending, she tells herself. You know exactly what this is.

It has been obvious, right from the start.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 

 

"Hey, Ayano-chan, I wonder how you would have handled this."

"I probably wouldn't know what to do."

"But, I am sure, it would be better than what I am doing."

"Takane-chan, you need to have more confidence in yourself."

"Shintaro is clearly not helping me to do that."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Bwahahah!"

This is how Shintaro greets her, the moment they are ready to go out.

Apparently, virtual make-up is not cool.

He looks at her, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Are you trying to look more mature?"

"Shut up," she says.

He coughs, before shaking his head.

"...People are gonna think you are talking to yourself, master."

"...I bought headphones."

"Ah, could it be, that master is looking forward to this?"

"Shut up..."

".....I bought this using your online stash, by the way."

The agiated scream of a NEET resonates throughout the neighborhood.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

It goes hellish, at least in Shintaro's case.

They go to the movies, Ene commenting in Shintaro's ears the whole time. Not to mention the weird stares people give him for wearing headphones during a film. Then they go shopping, Ene insisting on looking at the girl's section, even she cannot wear the clothes. Ultimately, Shintaro has to run, his life on line, as women run after him, mistaking him for a pervert. In the end, Ene ends up picking a ridiculously black jacket for him, threatning him into buying it.

In short, even if it sureley isn't boring, it's not so easy either.

Well, it's not like he had expected otherwise.

It's when dusk has begun to set in, that they sit at a nearby cafe, sipping. Well, atleast Shintaro does. All the while, bearing the sympathetic stares people shoot him for being the only one sitting alone at a place full with couples. He can't tell them that he's with here some girl that is stuck in his cellphone. Not, that would probably seem impossible.

"That was fun, wasn't it, master?" she asks suddenly, voice being carried right into his ears via the headphones.

He glares at her, not bothering to answer.

"Well, whatever you think," she murmurs.

Even with his face turned away, she could still see that slight smile.

They were both really stubborn, after all.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Have you ever thought about hologram projectors?" he asks suddenly, looking at her with a surprised face.

"Ha?" she asks confused, wondering what that has to do with anything.

"Well," he starts to explain, looking reluctant. "...I mean that, since you seem to admire the real world, how about using using hologram projection?"

"Ha?"

"W-Well, it's just a suggestion you know."

".....But, then I wouldn't be able to move around."

"....."

"I am glad master thought of it, but."

The moment she says that, Shintaro makes such a flustered expression that she wants to shout 'cute'.

She refrains from doing so, obviously.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 

"Oni-chan?!"

Ene and Shintaro both freeze the moment they hear the voice.

Shintao glances up first, teeth gritted. Momo stands there, phone in hand, looking at him with a shocked expression on her face. Behind her, see can see Hibiya, hands in pocket. Looking like he would like be anywhere but here.

Oh, how similiar he and Shintaro are.

"Ene-chan?!" Momo lets out another startled yell, staring at her.

Well, she wants to ask, were else could I be, Momo?

"Oba-san, you are being kind of-"

"Shut up!"

Shintaro sighs, finally recovered from the shock of having to see his sister here. He takes of the headphones, signalling her to do the talking.

"Don't tell," Momo says, pointing a shaking finger towards them. "Ene-chan, yo, and my pathetic oni-chan are really...."

Some other day, Ene may have teased Shintaro along with Momo. Heck, she would have probably enjoyed doing it. But, she doesn't want anyone to ruin today.

No patience.

"Sorry, little sister," she starts, firm. "But we, are busy today. Please don't interrupt us."

Shintaro seems to be startled, but obeys her regardless, when she signals him to go. He glances at his sister, who looks as if she has turned to stone. Hibiya sighs from behind her, waving his hand, telling them to go.

"There's still one more place left to go."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 

Ene can swear that she smells the faint smell of the Sakura petals linger in the closed space.

Which is impossible because if two reasons. One: The cabin of the Ferris Wheel is closed and so it's impossible for their fragrance to even enter it. Second: Her nose cannot respond to anything in the real. Which means she cannot smell anything from the real worlds.

But she can smell it, faintly, but yes, she can. It's a smell she hasn't forgotten yet. 

The silence between the two of them is serene. Her master is staring out of the glass, at the cherry blossomel filled garden visble from their position.

But still, serene or not, it's too quiet. She cannot let him think too much, or else he'll start thinking of the irreversible past again. She has to fulfill her role.

Her role as a permanent distraction from everything.

But, she thinks, looking at him, the day had gone quite well. She had really fun today. And his comment about the projector was just....

"Have you ever thought about it?"

But, she finds herself thinking, just like this is fine too.

"You don't have to force yourself," Shintaro says suddenly. She looks up at him, but he is still looking out of the window, not showing any signs of having spoken.  
"What?" she asks, confused.

"You," he says, finally turning to look at her. Her eyes widen, because just for a second, a series of emotions cloud his eyes and before she can place even one of them, they are gone. "....did this because you were worried about me, right? You don't have to do it. "

The words hit her hard.

Its because, she thinks, he thinks that people who worry for him will always get hurt. He thinks I am forcing myself to do this.

It's because he still can't get over Ayano's death.

"So, you don't have to worry. I am fine."

Even though he's definitely feeling sad. Even though he definitely needs help.

Why can't he just admit it?

"Idiot!" she mutters, under her breath. 

He always does this. Taking the brunt side of everything. Trying to look like he doesn't care. Always worrying, albeit secretly, about the ones around him.

If it's like this, she wants to scream, then just who will worry about you?

"Now that its settled-" Shintaro starts but she cuts him off. She didn't want to use the final tactic, but it's the last resort. Oh, well.

She lets out a frustuated cry, rummaging from file to file in his phone. She can feel his eyes on herself, but she doesn't care. She's had enough.  
"

I want to, she decides, make him feel better. About himself. About everything.

She presses the option that says 'Open'.

"Waah!" The scream fills the cabin, startling Shintaro into looking at her.

She looks back at him, challenging him.

"Uwahh! My jacket!" Shintaor's own voice plays from the cellphone and the real one, sitting in front of her flinches. She doesn't care. She just wants to make him suffer.

"Please spare me! Please spare me!" Shintaro continues to beg from her phone and the Shintaro in front of her looks as if he would like to do that too.

"I feel horrible...ughh....euuhh..." The voice stops, Shintaro groaning again, and the last notes fade away.

"Ene..." The Shintaro in front of her manages to get out of his mouth, and their eyes meet.

They give each other long, hard stare.

She feels her eye twitch.

They both burst out laughing.

"Oh, oh my..." Ene giggles, clutching her stomach. "No matter how many times I listen to it..."

Shintaro tries to hold in his own chuckles, looking torn between groaning in agony and laughing out loud. In the end, he produces a sound which is a mixture of both.

"That day, w-was horrible..."

"But master had fun."

"....Yes."

That day, it was really fateful. To run into those kids and then just relax, it was incredible. It hadn't even felt like they had just survived a terrorist attack.

The haunted house had been particularly entertaining.

She slaughing then, looking at him seriously.

"Did you have fun today?"

He looks at her in surprise, then bends his head, bangs covering his eyes, hiding his expression.

"...Thanks to you, I had a horrible day."

Now, that's a feeling of deja vu.

"I am glad!" she says, smiling her best smile at him. Before her eyes close, she sees his wide eyes.

It's because her are shut that she misses the brief smile that appears on his lips.

When she opens her eyes, it's long gone.

The cabin suddenly lurches to a stop. Whem she peers over, she can see that they have stopped at the exact top, overlooking the cherry blossoms.

They both pause and look towards the ground.

The scenery is breathless. It reminds her of Haruka's cheerfulness and Ayano's smile all at once.

She wonders if Shintaro thinks the same.

 

 

"Hey, would you rather be with Konoha?" The question comes out of the blue, right when she's least expecting it.

"...Eh?"

Again with the Konoha talk. What's with him?

Has he been worried about that the whole time? About that comment Konoha had made to her?

Mayb he sees that expression on her face, because the next moment, he starts denying everything frantically.

"Dont g-get me wrong. Those guys would deem it my fault if you left."

"...And would master be bothered?" she asks, tentatively.

He blinks and then averts his eyes. Thinking about it, he had been doing that a lot today.

Now, where has she seen that expression before?

That's right. That's the expression a stubborn girl had long ago, on her face, as she refused to acknowledge the importance of a certain black haired boy.

"A little," she thinks she hears him say.

And that's enough.  
Today was fruitful, wasn't it?

"Don't worry, master!" she says and almost missed the relieved face that he makes.

And when she sees it, her heart makes such a flustered moment that she remains uneasy the whole way down.

Maybe, if she multiplied this feeling a hundred times, it would match that thing she had felt for that sunny boy, once upon a time. It wasn't that strong.

Yet.  
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Master, be a gentleman and end this with a compliment."

"....I have no choice, do I?"

"Nope!"

"Let's see, you....are...

"I am?"

"Like...a cute..blue..Smurf?"

"....."

"Whoa, that was pretty good huh, Ene?"

"....Till the last moment, you are still an idiot."

"Ah, don't laugh in my ear!"

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …  
On the ride back home, she finds herself staring at his sleeling face.

He looks so peaceful, she thinks.

This whole thing, she needs to think about it.

Her job, she knows was to break lock after lock on Shintaro's heart. She had to try many times, but she knows where all the keys are now.

Knowing him was such a joy to her, but she couldn't say this to him.

Haruka's smiles had made her heart beat, but they hadn't been for her. His heart was carefree. He shone and even if he felt something, he would probably remain oblivious.

Shintaro, on the other hand, was different. He was gloomy and never smiled. His laughter, she had earned.

As time went by, she knows she would eventually fix him. Hell, they would fix each other.

Maybe they can't be outspoken. But they will understand.

She has faith in them.

They were the ones left behind. Her by Haruka, him by Ayano.

Takane Enomoto had been in love with a guy called Haruka Kokonose.

But Ene wasn't. At least not to that extent.

And when Takane Enomoto had fallen in love, she had fiercely denied everything.

But maybe, she thinks, looking at Shintaro's sleeping face, Ene would be a little more honest.

She sneezes.

The smell of spring is such a timid feeling.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 

"Hibiya, even my brother got a girlfriend!"

".....I think you are kind of misunder-"

"Is there something wrong with me, Hibiya?"

"Oba-san, maybe you should think about losing some-"

"...."

"Oba-san?"

"....."

"I was just joking. Just joking, you know."

"....."

"God, I think I just broke her."

And that whole evening, a certain teen idol sat in the corner, a dark cloud looming over her head.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

**Author's Note:**

> Gosh, how was this? I have no idea.
> 
> A little help? Please tell!


End file.
